Not a father
by Tashilover
Summary: Qui-Gon learned his lesson with Xanatos. He will not baby Obi-Wan.
1. Chapter 1

It was the muffled gasp that woke him up. Qui-Gon sat up straight in his bed, blinking into the darkness. He had expected to see an intruder or some other malicious intent but saw nothing of the sort in his room.

The Master frowned. He silently touched the edge of the Force, trying to figure out what woke him.

Another gasp registered in his head. Obi-Wan.

Qui-Gon threw off the blankets and stood. He saw that it was still quite early; the moon barely moved across the sky since he last opened his eyes. Ignoring the popping noises in his knees, Qui-Gon moved out of his room and into the open apartment.

He didn't bother to turn on the soft lights- he knew exactly where to step. Even though Obi-Wan is an unusually clean boy for his age, the occasional forgotten boot or tunic was easily avoidable. When Qui-Gon was his age, he would purposely scatter out his clothes on the floor just to test if Dooku's sight was a good as everyone claimed. Unfortunately, to Qui-Gon's lack of amusement, it was.

The Jedi Master paused at his Padawan's door. Instead of knocking or letting himself in, he slowly sent in his will inside of the room. The Force quietly crept across the floor, before coming to the edge of Obi-Wan's bed.

The boy was sitting up, letting his feet to dangle over the side of his bed. He was bent over, his head in his hands. He was crying.

Automatically Qui-Gon felt his chest tighten. A crying child has that affect. But he knew better. He learned his lesson from Xanatos. How many times did he go into that boy's room and awaken him from a nightmare? How many times did he cradle him in his arms until his young apprentice fell asleep? Too many times. Qui-Gon could not baby Obi-Wan. He would not make the same mistake twice.

Still, what was the reason behind Obi-Wan's tears? Was it a nightmare? Was he in pain?

By the time the Master was asking himself these questions, the Force already brought him news that Obi-Wan stopped crying. The boy took in a shuddering breath and wiped at his eyes. "It was only a dream," Obi-Wan hissed to himself. "Don't be stupid."

Qui-Gon released a slow breath. So it was a nightmare. For a brief second he wondered what kind of nightmare and quickly pushed that thought away. He was getting too close.

Besides, it looked like the boy resolved it all on his own. Obi-Wan went to his private refresher, cleaned his face and climbed back into bed. He flipped over to his side, his eyes wide and not one bit sleepy.

Qui-Gon pulled back. He _wanted _to know what Obi-Wan dreamt of- what did he dream of that drove him to tears and what did he dream of that made him fearful to go back to sleep?

_But _these were lessons Obi-Wan was going have to learn on his own. Qui-Gon isn't always going to be there each time the boy has a nightmare. And it's best to learn that now.

Ignoring the guilt that settled in his heart, Qui-Gon shuffled back to his room.

Two hours later, Qui-Gon felt the same distress call coming from his Padawan. The boy was having another nightmare. But this time around, Qui-Gon did not bother getting up. Instead, he slammed up his mental shields, cutting off all signals. He knew it was cruel, but it was necessary.

_I am his teacher, his mentor. I am _not _his father._


	2. Chapter 2

That next day, as expected, Qui-Gon noticed Obi-Wan had dark bags under his eyes. The Master did not comment on this nor did the young boy offer any. All Qui-Gon offered was a quick, "Good Morning Obi-Wan," when the boy came out of his bedroom.

He had expected Obi-Wan to give out a moan of displeasure or say something along the lines of, "What's good about it?" Instead, the young Jedi's eyes brighten as soon as he saw Qui-Gon. "Good morning Master. Did you sleep well?"

"I did," Which was the guilt encrusted truth. Once Qui-Gon had determined that he was making a man out of Obi-Wan by ignoring him, the Master fell asleep with little trouble. He almost hated to ask this question, "How did you sleep?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Can't complain."

Qui-Gon had to blink at that. It wasn't as if he expected the boy to admit his pain but he was surprised that Obi-Wan had skirt around the issue with such simplicity. He would make a good diplomat one day. "Are you up for sparring today?"

As tired as he appeared, Obi-Wan nodded without hesitation.

"Good. We'll start after we eat."

()

"Watch your legs,"

Obi-Wan responded by repositioning his legs and attacking again. Qui-Gon easily defended off the next few blows, instructing the boy where his weaknesses were.

Obi-Wan was certainly holding his own and he was a much better fighter than any one of his age group, but he was still making too many mistakes for Qui-Gon's liking. Parry, parry, thrust, thrust- "You keep leaving your left side open."

Obi-Wan tucked in his left side and lowered his saber for defense. But slowly, through the motions of the sparring, he exposed that side again and Qui-Gon got tired of reminding him.

The boy thrusted and instead of knocking the saber away, Qui-Gon step-sided him, came into Obi-Wan's space and rammed his knee into the boy's stomach.

Obi-Wan gave a slight breathless gasp before falling to his knees, clutching his midsection. Qui-Gon made the effort to only place enough force behind the attack to cause only pain but no damage. He knew after a few moments, the boy will be fine. "Watch your left side Obi-Wan. Your enemy will not be so kind by offering you their knee."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes Master," he said in a tight rasp.

For the second time that day, Qui-Gon frowned. Perhaps he did hit the boy harder than he intended.

_But _just like the nightmares, he was going have to learn to deal with the pain. As he gets older and the fights more intense, he was going have to learn to ignore simple, superficial injuries in order to stay alive. Such is the life of a Jedi. Obi-Wan knew this.

Instead of apologizing, instead of coming down next to his apprentice and soothe the wound he inflicted, Qui-Gon tightened his jaw and threw all of his guilt into the Force. "Get up Obi-Wan," He said, almost wincing on how cold he sounded. "Try again."

He expected a groan or a protest. But Obi-Wan simply nodded and without a word of complaint, stood.


	3. Chapter 3

_It was the dreams that tortured him. While most would say he should enjoy them- as it reminded him of happier times- he only saw them as a constant reminder of what he did wrong. _

_Xanatos was fifteen in this dream. The young man was strikingly handsome even at this young age and Qui-Gon always found endless amusement in watching teenage girls, both human and non-human, turn their heads towards his Padawan._

_They were playing a strategic board game. Qui-Gon would use these moments to teach Xanatos about strategies and use of space, but in the end the boy would start cheating, ruining the whole point. "Padawan, you can't make that move. It's illegal."_

"_Of course I can," Xanatos quipped, dropping his miniature battle ship off in the middle of the board's star map. "Do you think the enemy is going to say, 'Oh I can't do that, it's not right?' "_

_Qui-Gon swallowed the snort of laughter. "The whole point of these games Xanatos is to make you think of different ways to take a course of action. Like so," Qui-Gon moved his star fleet, effectively cutting off Xanatos' forces into a corner. "See? You should have taken account where you were going to place your forces before you moved."_

"_Mmm…yes, but Master, you always tell me to expect the unexpected. And what you didn't expect was a giant space monster coming out of nowhere and eating your entire fleet." Xanatos suddenly brought out an oven mitt and mimicking a giant fluffy monster, began to eat Qui-Gon's pieces. "Munch, munch, munch."_

_Qui-Gon knew he should have disciplined him right then and there. Chastised him or even pull on his braid. But instead of doing any of those things, the Master smiled, laughed, and even joined in on the fun._

"_OW! Master, now that was illegal beyond reason!"_

"_My dear Padawan, it's not my fault your head is so large it has its own gravitational pull. Watch out, here comes the rest of your fleet."_

"_You can't declare war on my head!"_

"_I believe I just did. Ah ha ha!"_

He was almost shamed to say he woke smirking. It was a good dream. It was a good memory.

But it also reminded him how he failed. He had given the boy too much leeway. He should have disciplined him more often, try to be more of a Master than a friend. Teach him more self-control, more humility. More-

Qui-Gon had to stop himself right there. If he kept going on with all the 'should have' he would be up all night. With a frustrated sigh, he rolled over in his bed.

And saw Obi-Wan staring at him.

"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon snapped up. "What are you doing in my room?"

Obi-Wan jerked. He hadn't known that Qui-Gon was awake. "I'm sorry! I didn't…"

Qui-Gon cursed himself for not sensing the boy through the bond but didn't understand why the boy was here. He didn't feel any danger. He narrowed his eyes at the boy, who was looking at his feet with great interest. "You had a nightmare." It was not a question.

Obi-Wan's cerulean eyes looked up and Qui-Gon could see they were moistened with unshed tears. He nodded, a tint of red on his cheeks.

"I see. Obi-Wan, don't you think you're too old to be crawling into my bed?"

Obi-Wan's mouth gaped open, his cheeks now flushed. "That's not… I didn't…"

Qui-Gon didn't let him finish. "You're a Jedi now. And that means you can't have your emotions run wild. Next time you have a nightmare, instead of running to me for comfort, meditate on it. I am not always going to be here to help you."

Obi-Wan visibly flinched. Obviously something Qui-Gon said had struck home but he didn't know what. Perhaps he reminded the boy how close he came to not being a Padawan. Or maybe Obi-Wan realized he had to leave all the comforts of being an initiate behind finally sunk in.

Qui-Gon didn't know which of it was. He didn't ask.

"Obi-Wan," The boy looked up. "Go to bed. We leave for planet Noven tomorrow and I don't want to deal with a tired apprentice."

"Yes sir," Obi-Wan then gave a brief awkward bow and left quickly.

Qui-Gon laid back down wishing he could take his own advice. He didn't want to sleep anymore. He didn't want to dream of Xanatos anymore.

He was also curious about Obi-Wan. This was the second time he had woken up from a nightmare. And this was the second time Qui-Gon had been disturbed about it. As much as he wanted to ask the boy about it, he didn't dare. That was getting too close, too personal.

And besides, he had instructed Obi-Wan what to do next time, as is required as his Master. To teach, to mentor, not to comfort.

_But not to care?_

The Master shivered at the guilt encrusted thought.

()

A/N: Sorries peoples. This will all be from Qui-Gon's POV. This won't be a long fic. It'll probably be done by chapter six or something. Anyhoo, R/R!


	4. Chapter 4

As much as he wanted to complain- and very much he did- Qui-Gon kept his emotions in checked. Complaining, whining was below a Jedi and there was no need for it.

But honestly, he didn't see why the Council chose him for this. An Initiate could've done this mission blind folded.

The planet Noven, a small trading world on the edges of the Republic, was renewing their trade contracts with neighboring worlds. The planet rulers simply needed an unaffiliated third party witness during the signing of the many contracts.

And Qui-Gon knew there will be many.

Still, the older Jedi knew he shouldn't complain. Unlike the numerous negotiations he attended in the past, he knew this mission would be a piece of snapcake. No backstabbing politicians, no civil wars to avoid, no need to save leaders from political prisons. Just mind numbing monotony.

He should look on the bright side; if they finish early, he and the boy would have a day or two of relaxation.

Qui-Gon glanced over at his apprentice who sat quietly in the co-pilot seat. He was looking over data on Novem, learning the basic laws and cultural differences of the planet. The light from the holodisk made Obi-Wan look much younger, the bags underneath his eyes more pronounced. "Obi-Wan,"

The boy jumped at his name. "Yes Master?"

Qui-Gon's lips thinned. His first thoughts were to remand his apprentice, asking him if he did what he asked and meditated on his nightmare. Obviously the boy didn't, but something told the Master not to put so much emphasis on it. Instead, Qui-Gon decided to keep the conversation light and asked, "What have you learned about Noven?"

"Oh, well…" Obi-Wan turned the holodisk over, as if he was being tested. "The planet has a very rich history in art, mainly because certain paint mixtures can only be found there. Um, their main source of income is through trade and tourism and, um-"

"Too many 'ums' Obi-Wan."

"Sorry Master. And, the planet's reining monarchs include the king and queen, the crown prince, and fourteen other heirs."

Qui-Gon nodded. "Fifteen actually. The queen is currently pregnant with their newest prince."

Obi-Wan made a face. "I can't imagine having so many children. Or so many siblings."

"We're not here to judge Obi-Wan. In monarchial situations, it is always a good idea to have many children to carry on the name or the rule. Besides," Qui-Gon flashed a rare smirk. "Having a Padawan is sort of like raising a child."

It was a small joking jab at Obi-Wan's expense and Qui-Gon expected his response to be, "I'm not a child!" along with a soft glare. Instead, Obi-Wan raised one of his eyebrows in interest and asked, "Are you saying you're like my father?"

That wiped the smirk off his face. "No," Qui-Gon said sharply before twisting the controls into a hard right, taking their ship down to the blue planet far below.

()

A/N: The next chapter will be the longest. I promise. Please don't kill me.

R/R!


	5. Chapter 5

_His wrist was going to fall off._

Over the years Qui-Gon has perfected his signature by writing it more times than he has spoken it. But at that moment, a sagging pain was shooting up his right wrist, echoing into his shoulder. He kept this pain hidden from Queen Humu and the present lawyer, occasionally letting the Force to numb it. The pain would always come back every fifth signature, forcing the Master to once again, call on the Force for help.

Judging the way Queen Humu wrote her seven-hundredth signature with little trouble, made Qui-Gon wonder how often she's done this. To add insult to injury, her large belly gave her almost no resistant for the past two hours.

The lawyer, a green humanoid by the name of Kulain Win, would sign one contract. The Queen in turn would sign it and pass it over to Qui-Gon, who would sign it stating he witnessed the action. And for the past two hours, that was their job: Sign, pass, sign, pass, sign.

Obi-Wan, because he was just a Padawan, had no papers to sign. Yet watching the endless contracts pass by him was a torture in itself. He didn't speak, he barely moved, and the only reason he stayed was because his Master did. Staying awake became a task he was quickly losing to.

When his eyes drooped again and his shoulders went slightly lax, a mental swat jolted him. _Obi-Wan! Pay attention!_

The boy quickly straightened in his chair. _I'm sorry Master._

Honestly, Qui-Gon couldn't blame the boy. Obi-Wan needed to learn, if nothing else, is patience. If Qui-Gon had a credit for every time he wanted to fall asleep during a negotiation, he could buy his own planet.

The Queen unexpectedly threw down her stylus. "Gentlemen, I propose a break. My wrist is killing me and this one is demanding I feed him," She patted her belly.

"Of course your majesty," Win said, sounding a bit blusterous. "I apologize for not noticing your fatigue earlier."

Qui-Gon stood quickly, helping the large queen out of her chair. "Ah, thank you Master Jedi. I am always afraid once I sit down, I am never going to get back up."

"You're quite welcome."

The queen placed a hand on her sore back, and with slow deliberation, waddles out of the room. "Food and perhaps a nap. We can pick up where we left off in three hours."

Both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan bow to the retreating waddling queen. Once she and Win was out of the official chambers, Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan. "Do you know how dangerous it was for you to fall asleep?"

Obi-Wan threw him a dumbfounded look. The Jedi Master had to admit that his question did sound quite ludicrous but that was not the point. "If Win caught wind of your fatigue, he could argue the contracts signed are void because you were not paying attention."

Obi-Wan's eyes went wide as the consequences of his actions became known. "I'm sorry Master, I didn't realize-"

"Did you or did you not meditate on your nightmare?"

His eyes found the ground. "No."

"And why not?"

"I-"

"Obi-Wan, I am your Master and you will treat me as such. Look at me in the eye when you speak otherwise I will take everything you say as a _lie."_

It was a sign Qui-Gon learned very quickly as a Padawan. When people avoided your eyes, they tend to be lying. But he knew, he knew even Obi-Wan's eyes cast to the ground, the boy would not lie to him. It's not in his nature

So why was Qui-Gon treating him as if it was?

The Master pushed that thought aside and waited as Obi-Wan very slowly brought his head up. The boy looked exhausted. How many days has he gone without sleep? Two now? Qui-Gon can go a week without sleep but the boy was simply that- a boy. Two days is an eternity.

Once blue eyes met his, he said, "I am afraid."

"Of what?" The older man kept his cold demeanor despite his heart tightened. "To find out your dreams are merely dreams? This is getting silly Obi-Wan. I told you I didn't want to deal with a tired apprentice and now I am dealing with a tired apprentice!"

When had he last called Obi-Wan 'Padawan?' Although Padawan and apprentice meant the same thing, Padawan was more of an… affectionate term. Was he doing this on purpose?

Qui-Gon closed his eyes, biting his tongue from the next set of words he was about to say. He knew he was being deliberately cruel. He opened his eyes and looked at the embarrassed, flushing boy. Qui-Gon sighed. He needed to apologize.

He opened his mouth to do just that when a face flashed in his mind.

_Xanatos._

And any pity Qui-Gon felt for the boy suddenly went out the window. He would not- _will _not make the same mistake twice. Obi-Wan may hate him for his harsh treatment but he will understand one day. Frowning, he commanded, "For the next two hours you will meditate. You will review your actions and afterwards you will explain to me why they are wrong. Use this time to also meditate on your nightmares. If I find you have not done what I've asked, you will meditate for additional two hours. Do you understand?"

He expected anger from the boy. Defiance. Two hours is a long time to mediate, even for a Jedi Master. But it seemed at every turn, Obi-Wan surprised him by doing the exact opposite. His apprentice nodded, looking not at all offended at the punishment. "Yes Master," He said quietly, obediently.

And Qui-Gon decided, right then and there, that he didn't like that. He didn't know why. He wanted the boy to obey, but for some odd reason unknown to him, _he did not like it. _

()

Obi-Wan's expression was soft, his posture stilled. He looked to be asleep except his stiff back and very controlled breathing gave that away. The garden he meditated in was small but filled with fine greenery, blooming flowers and a babbling brook.

Qui-Gon eyed the boy, almost as if he was waiting for something to happen.

What, exactly?

What did he expect to happen? What did he _want _to happen? And when it did happen, would he approve of it?

Did _any _of that make sense?

Qui-Gon sighed. He didn't want to repeat his mistakes with Obi-Wan. He was too lenient with Xanatos and he didn't want to give Obi-Wan any ideas that if he was defiant, there wouldn't be any consequences to his actions.

But at the same time, Qui-Gon didn't want a marionette. Something told him if he commanded Obi-Wan to slap his own face, the boy would do it.

Qui-Gon didn't want to repeat his mistakes, but he certainly didn't want to create new ones either.

He needed to clear his head. Throwing one last glance at Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon turned on his heel and left.

()

Sometimes he forgoes meditation. As much as he believed in the practice, Qui-Gon also knew there would be times he would not be able to meditate. The Force is not a crutch, his Master often said to him. He had to learn to deal with problems as a human being- as a sentient being with no knowledge of the Force like most of the population. If suddenly one day the Force was taken away from him, what would he do?

What did he want from Obi-Wan?

Qui-Gon stared quietly at the painting before him. It was a portrait of the Crown Prince, Tuk'li'i. A handsome boy of almost twenty years. Tuk'li'I was dressed in his royal finery, his green eyes staring off to nothing at the right side of the frame, a small smile playing on his lips.

Qui-Gon suddenly wondered if he had any holo-photos of Obi-Wan. He knew he had a few of his first apprentice, Noda, and there were quite a few with Xanatos, but were there any of Obi-Wan?

He thought back to the words he said earlier. Gods, he practically called Obi-Wan a liar. What possessed him to say such a horrid thing? It was one thing to tell Obi-Wan to keep eye contact but to call his apprentice a liar-!

_Xanatos._

Qui-Gon felt his jaw tighten. It always came back to his old Padawan, didn't it? Because Xanatos lied to him, betrayed him, and as a result it was Obi-Wan who was receiving the blunt end of Qui-Gon's anger.

Obi-Wan didn't deserve that. He didn't deserve to live in a shadow, be punished for someone else's misdeeds. No, as much as Qui-Gon did not wish to repeat his mistake, he needed to allow Obi-Wan to create his own.

You learn the most when you fail- and if he cannot allow Obi-Wan to fail occasionally then all the boy would learn is he would be punished severely. Even for something as innocent as falling asleep during a boring stretch of time.

Qui-Gon turned away from the painting. He needed to apologize to the boy.

The Jedi walked back to where he left his meditating apprentice and found the green garden empty. He looked around, thinking perhaps Obi-Wan moved out of the sun to a cooler spot. He saw no one.

Anger bubbled inside of him. It's barely been forty minutes and already the boy was skipping out on his meditations!

Qui-Gon literally took a step back from where he stood and calmed himself. No, he had to give Obi-Wan the benefit of a doubt. There must be a reason why the boy left the gardens…

A soft announcement from the Force told Qui-Gon someone was coming. He turned around, bowing deeply as Tuk'li'I walked up to him. "Your highness…"

"Master Jedi," The Crown Prince politely bowed back. "My mother sent me to collect you. You're probably wondering what happened to your apprentice."

_What has he done? _Quickly Qui-Gon stomped that thought away. He has no idea what has happened.

Tuk'li'I gestured him to follow. As they walked through the decorated halls of the palace, the Prince sighed rather wearily. "I have to apologize on the behalf of my mother Master Jedi. As you can tell, she has an affinity for children."

"Yes," Qui-Gon smiled gently. He said nothing further, fearing anything else might be construed as innuendo.

"Yes, well," He uncomfortably continued. "Let's just say as soon as she saw your apprentice, her mother instincts took over."

"Oh?" Qui-Gon could now see that Tuk'li'I was leading him out of the formal portion of the palace, to the personal quarters of the royal family. Where was he taking him?

Tuk'li'i paused in front of a half-closed decorated door. "Enter quietly," The Prince told him.

Obi-Wan's Force signature was certainly coming from inside that room, but Qui-Gon wasn't sure what sight would greet him. He pushed the door open gently, stepping inside.

Queen Humu was gently rocking back and forth on a chair, in her arms was one of the younger princesses. The moment the young princess was asleep, Queen Humu waddled towards the large oriented bed in the middle of the room, tucking in the child with her other younger siblings.

And right in the middle of the snoozing princes' and princesses, was Obi-Wan.

The boy was asleep, his head turned slightly to the right, his breathing calm and soft. Snuggled up next to him was a prince of perhaps five years. In his fat hands he clutched Obi-Wan's Padawan braid, his other hand gripping his tunic. To Obi-Wan's other side, was a princess who hugged the boy as if he was her own Jedi body pillow. In all, there were seven children- not counting Obi-Wan- sleeping in the huge bed.

It was a scene of contentment, of innocence, and Qui-Gon had to admit, the cutest damn thing he's ever seen.

He followed Queen Humu out of the room once she was done. Once the door was closed, she turned towards the Jedi with a rather smug look on her face. "He needs to sleep," She told him, already anticipating his question. "I understand that Jedi must learn to deal with such difficulties, but that doesn't mean your apprentice must learn them all within a day."

Qui-Gon touched his lips in a thoughtful manner. The Queen was right. Despite she practically kidnapped Obi-Wan and forced him to take a nap, she was right.

"Come," The Queen waddled away from the door. "Let us eat. You can wake your apprentice once the signings start again in two hours time."

As Qui-Gon walked away from the bed chambers, he was suddenly struck by a devious idea.

"Do you have a holo-camera?"

()

A/N: As much as I like to continue, I'm going to end it here. In the next chapter we'll see what Obi-Wan has been dreaming about.

And it's not about Qui-Gon dying. *Grin*

Anyhoo, R/R!


	6. Chapter 6

Qui-Gon quietly stared down at his apprentice.

Obi-Wan was the only one left in the overly large bed. His sleeping companions all woke and left, wanting to eat or play. One princess wouldn't leave unless Qui-Gon tied a braid for her, just like Obi-Wan's. The Jedi Master awkwardly twisted a braid out of the girl's long hair, reminding him that he had not touched Obi-Wan's braid in a very long time.

Although it was only one braid, the princess was delighted and ran off to show her siblings. Now Qui-Gon feared on top of signing his signature half a million times, he might have to braid the hair of Queen Humu's youngest children.

His fingers dwelled over Obi-Wan's Padawan braid. It was a soft memory, the day he twisted the hair into the symbolic rope.

It was a quiet afternoon. The sun shining in from the windows kept their apartment warm and bright. The smell of tea they would have afterwards wafted silently above them as Obi-Wan sat in front of his Master.

Qui-Gon remembered Obi-Wan being quite ticklish as he drew the Force around his Padawan's hair, encouraging it to grow at an incredibly fast rate. The older man spent the next three minutes making Obi-Wan writhe under his fingers, delightfully enjoying how the boy squirmed from the Force manipulation.

Once the hair was long enough, the Jedi Master released the Force and began braiding. The braid was short, tight and looked quite awkward sticking out from behind Obi-Wan's ear. But when the boy saw it, he smiled so happily that Qui-Gon smiled himself. They spent the rest of the day getting to know each other.

So what had changed? Why had Qui-Gon suddenly decided the best course of action was to literally _beat _the life lessons into Obi-Wan?

_Xanatos._

"Stop it," The Master whispered to himself. He can't use his old Padawan as an excuse for his anger each and every time. He can't dwell on the past.

He was here. This was now. And if he was going to be a good Master to Obi-Wan, he had to leave the past behind.

Qui-Gon Jinn closed his eyes. He thought of Xanatos' betrayal. He thought of his hateful sneer and that despicable laugh. He thought of the ultimate pain he felt when he realized his Padawan had crossed over, throwing away all his training, his morals for something as pathetic as money.

He thought of how Xanatos' face would lit up when told of his accomplishments. He thought of his laugh, that great big smile and those days they spent underneath shaded trees, simply enjoying the day.

And he took those emotions- his hatred, his guilt, his love- and allowed the Force to take them away. The swirling energy took what Qui-Gon unknowingly clung on to for years and within seconds, all of it was gone.

A tear trickled down his cheek. He loved the boy. And that was probably the reason why Qui-Gon was so angry with Obi-Wan. His love for Xanatos had blinded him, and in turn, he feared his love for Obi-Wan would do the same.

He just didn't think when he'd finally let go, it would leave such a huge hole in his heart.

Qui-Gon ran a hand over Obi-Wan's soft hair. "My eyes are open now," He whispered. "And when you open yours, things will be different. I promise."

Obi-Wan shifted and took in a shuddering breath. He shivered.

Qui-Gon frowned. He touched Obi-Wan's shoulder and the boy twitched, his face contorting into unparallel grief. "No…" He whimpered. "Qui-Gon…"

"Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan jerked away from the older man and tears began to fall down his young face. "No…" he breathed as the tears continued. "Please…"

Qui-Gon made movement to scoop up the young lad into his arms and coax him awake. He stopped himself. No, he told himself. He wasn't going to baby Obi-Wan.

_But _he wasn't going to stand by and let this nightmare take hold of his apprentice.

He placed a hand over Obi-Wan's eyes and then closed his own. Very gently he opened up the bond between them, allowing the image to flow over him.

_Qui-Gon stood silently. His hands were tucked inside his robe, his back stiff and his face neutral. Only someone who knew him well would have seen the signs of distress all over the man. His lips were thin, his jaw tight and he blinked a bit too often._

_The smell of burning wood was everywhere. It was sweet and thick and musky and it reminded Qui-Gon of a forest during a rainfall. At any other day, he would revel in that smell, breathing in deep. Today, it nauseated him._

_A hand clamped down on down on his shoulder and he turned to see Mace looking at him. A soft sad smile was on the Council Member's face. "You should be proud Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan died as a Jedi."_

_Qui-Gon turned back his head to the burning funeral pyre in front of him. _

_Obi-Wan Kenobi looked as if he was sleeping. His hands were cupped over his stomach, his braid delicately placed upon his shoulder. His lightsaber hung by his hip. Various trinkets were laid about him; letters from his friends and teachers, a few holo-photos and some flowers. The flames had yet to reached Obi-Wan and only just begun burning the letters and photos._

_Qui-Gon laid his eyes on Bant who was trying very hard not to cry. She was failing and she gritted her teeth almost as if the tears themselves were hurting her. _

_Garen stood next to her, his arms over his chest, his face neutral. He then drew the salmon colored girl into a hug and she buried her head into his chest, her shoulders shaking quietly. Garen did not look at her, his eyes trained on the burning pyre before him. His cheeks were wet._

_Noda, his first Padawan was there too. She and Obi-Wan had never met and she had expressed to Qui-Gon how much she regretted that. She did not stay long as her own Padawan was sick with fever and in the healer wing. Before she left, she gave Obi-Wan a deep respectful bow. _

"_Obi-Wan was very loved," Mace continued. "He will be missed."_

_When Qui-Gon finally spoke, his voice was that of a negotiator. Without emotion. "I gave Obi-Wan a river rock for this thirteenth birthday."_

"_I know," Mace nodded. "Master Yoda told me."_

"_It was such a silly little gift now that I think about it," He huffed. " A rock," He then unfolded his arms and showed his open hand out to Mace. In his palm he held a little red colored stone. "Obi-Wan had it on him when he died."_

_He fingered the stone absentmindedly, his eyes never once leaving the pyre._

"_What upsets me the most Mace, is…his age. He was so young. I didn't know I would lose him so soon."_

_The flames finally reached Obi-Wan's body, smoldering his clothes and his pale skin. It was then that Qui-Gon's composure broke and he gripped the river rock tightly._

"_I thought we would have more time," He choked._

_The fire gave a sizzling pop! as within a minute, Obi-Wan's body was consumed. The smoke stayed visible in the pale moonlight as it lazily drifted upwards towards the stars._

His blue eyes were wide.

Qui-Gon realized with horror that he was crying. A thick hand was crushing his heart and unnamed grief was pouring over him. He looked down and saw Obi-Wan staring up. The boy's eyes were wide and a hint of fear was in them.

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon breathed. "What was that?"

Obi-Wan never got a chance to answer. He opened his mouth and was quickly interrupted.

The Force swirled around Qui-Gon, giving a soft warning as suddenly a scream pierced through the silence.

Qui-Gon surged to his feet, grabbing his lightsaber and activating it. "Stay here," He said to Obi-Wan before going full sprint in the direction of the scream.

He ran down the halls, the Force guiding his every step. He quickly turned a corner and he saw Tuk'li'I kneeling over the fallen body of Queen Humu. "Go get the healer!" The prince snapped at one of the guards. "Now!"

"What has happened?" Qui-Gon holstered his lightsaber, quickly kneeling down next to the unconscious Queen.

"I don't know," Tuk'li'I shook his head. "We were walking… she suddenly complained about an odd pain at her side. She," He choked. "S-she screamed and fell. I don't know what happened."

Qui-Gon drew the Force to him, hovering his hand over the Queen's body. He wasn't a healer but he could help.

When his hand floated over the Queen's stomach, he froze.

"What?" Tuk'li'I demanded. "What is it?"

"She's bleeding out- both her and the child," Qui-Gon said sadly. "There's nothing we can do."

The Prince shook his head. "No…the healer…"

"I'm sorry your highness."

Pure devastation and horror appeared on the young man's face. Tears sprung to his eyes and his hand tightened on his mother's. He then noticed the presence of his other siblings standing fearfully at the corners of the hallway, watching anxiously. "Get the younger ones out of here!"

Immediately the older princes' and princesses grabbed their toddler siblings, all but running away from the scene.

"Contact my father," The Prince ordered another guard. Both of them were on the verge of tears. "Tell him to come home immediately."

Once the guard left, Tuk'li'I turned back to his mother. Queen Humu's breathing was now barely a whisper, her skin pale and damp. The prince finally allowed him to break down in tears as he pressed his mother's clammy hand to his forehead. He sobbed quietly.

Qui-Gon took the Queen's other hand, flowing the Force into her, taking away any pain she had. She and the unborn child will be gone in a few seconds.

"Master?"

Qui-Gon turned his head and saw Obi-Wan standing at the edge of the hall, looking down at the Queen. His eyes were wide, his hair tousled from the sleep. Qui-Gon did not want him to see this. "Obi-Wan, go tend to the others."

"No."

Qui-Gon blinked angrily at this. He didn't need the boy to be defiant. Not now! He twisted around, intent on telling Obi-Wan to leave _or else. _

Obi-Wan suddenly was by his side, kneeling by the Queen, placing his small hands on her stomach. Qui-Gon grasped his wrist. _Stop it, _He mentally hissed at him. _No amount of Force healing will help her. Leave her be._

The boy closed his eyes.

Qui-Gon growled at this blatant disobedience. "Obi-"

Pain.

Qui-Gon gave out a cry as a sudden hot flash of molten lava whipped through his mind like a hurricane. A loud whistling hissed in his ear and he temporarily went deaf. Through the slits of his tighten pain-filled eyes, Qui-Gon saw Obi-Wan's shoulders dropped. Then the boy collapsed.

Queen Humu gave a shuddering gasp. Tuk'li'I's head snapped up, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Mother?"

Qui-Gon shook his head, trying to dispel the affects of the unknown agony. His vision cleared and he stared, with horror, at the collapsed boy next to him. And with that horror, Qui-Gon realized what the pain had occurred from.

From a shattered bond.

Obi-Wan did not move. Nor did he breath.

()

A/N: Erm, ah…not really satisfied with this chapter. But there are certain bits I am especially proud of. R/R peeps.


	7. Chapter 7

It was certainly a beautiful day. The main architectural aspects of planet Noven were their large ordained balconies, open glass-free windows and soft smooth corners of their walls. No matter where Qui-Gon went, one passageway opened to another and he found, with great annoyance, very little privacy. In the end, the Jedi had to lock himself in the refresher of his bedroom. The royal rooms and refreshers were the only rooms who had doors with locks on them.

Qui-Gon pressed the coordinates into his com and stepped back as the signal went through. It took a few seconds and soon the blurry blue image of Yoda and Mace Windu appeared. "Master Qui-Gon," The two Council members greeted. "What news, you bring us?"

"Master Noda has successfully completed all signing of the contracts," Qui-Gon began. "It'll take a few days for the contracts to come into affect but King Pua'a and lawyer Kulain Win assured me that there will be no backlash due to the different witnesses."

"The mission is a success then?" Blue Mace asked.

"Yes Masters."

"What of the Queen?"

"Queen Humu is upset that she is unable to bear anymore children, but overall, her and the baby are healthy."

"And what of Obi-Wan?"

Qui-Gon had to pause to tell himself to take a breath. Once he did, he had to pause again to remind himself to speak. "Obi-Wan is… unchanged. There hasn't been any shift in brainwaves or his breathing. The healers tell me that he is unable to breathe on his own without the help of machines."

Yoda's grand ears drooped at the news, his ancient face etched in sadness. Even from the erratic static of the com Qui-Gon could feel the Master's distress. It made the Jedi a little happy to know that Yoda cared deeply for the boy. "The bond," Yoda asked after a moment of silence. "Able to reestablish, have you?"

"No. There has been no response. Master Yoda…" Qui-Gon kept the panic from his voice, but implement of the news had more than enough affect. "I can't feel the Force in Obi-Wan. Not I, not Noda, have been able to sense any life. The other day I stuck a needle into his finger to see if he responds to pain and there was nothing… I fear," Take another breath. Breathe man. "All that is left of Obi-Wan is a shell."

()

The boy was losing weight rapidly. Obi-Wan was skinny to begin with but now he was on the verge of becoming a skeleton. Amazing how much weight a human being could lose in just three days.

Qui-Gon sat down next to Obi-Wan's bed, his eyes drifting aimlessly around the room. Queen Humu's children have been more than kind, leaving bushes of flowers on the table and allowing soft music to play. Obi-Wan was in no danger of foreign contamination so there had been no need to keep him the healer's ward. The walls were painted a warm peach and gentle wind blowing in from the east side kept the room cool. The only thing that interrupted the serene scene were the medical machines that monitored Obi-Wan's brain, his heart rate, and the IV drip inserted into his arm.

"Has there been any change?"

Qui-Gon had to smirk. Noda always had the uncanny ability to walk into a room without giving away her Force presence. Whether it was intentional or not, Qui-Gon remembered how many times he almost went into a panic when they got separated on a mission or in a large crowd.

"None," He said, turning towards her. His eyes traveled to the empty spot next to her. "Where is your Padawan?"

Now it was her turn to smirk. Her blue lips quirked upwards as she said, "The children nabbed him in the hall. He yelled for help as the girls dragged him off to their playroom."

Qui-Gon chuckled softly. "You monster," He then turned back to Obi-Wan, checking his forehead to see if he was too hot or too cold. Although he felt no extreme temperature change, he pulled down the blankets.

Noda quietly stood next to him, watching as her former Master repositioned Obi-Wan's braid for the millionth time. "What did the Council say?"

"They said if there was no change in Obi-Wan in another day, I should bring him back to Coruscant. Allow the Temple's healers to help him."

Noda nodded in agreement, although both of them knew the royals had the best medical treatment on the planet. Their treatment was more than enough.

"I am upset," Noda took Obi-Wan's hand, messaging his wrist to soothe the tightened muscles underneath. "That I did not meet Obi-Wan under better circumstances."

Qui-Gon stiffened. Noda caught this immediately, her tentacles curling at the sight. "Qui-Gon? Did I say something wrong?"

He shook his head. Pain was evident in his eyes. "It's not you, it's…" A thought struck him. He said nothing further as he leaned over Obi-Wan's prone body, his hand's going into the boy's inner tunic. Noda could see his jaw tighten as he suddenly felt something and pulled back.

He almost hated to open his palm. In it, was a small blood colored stone. "Force…"

"What's wrong?"

"Obi-Wan had a vision of his own death," Qui-Gon blurted out, his face grim. "For days he foresaw this. And…gods, he's been trying to tell me and this whole time I've been ignoring him…"

"Master, stop this. You're the one who always told me that visions are just one possible future. Like that vision I had when I was Padawan? I was never eaten by a Bantha."

"That was a nightmare."

"And how do you know this vision Obi-Wan had isn't? Last I checked, he is very much alive."

His own wisdom thrown back at him. So much truth in those words. But at that moment, the words were meaningless to him. "I can't feel him- You can't feel him."

Noda's tentacles snapped angrily and she dropped Obi-Wan's hand. "Just because I can't feel his Force signature does not mean he's not there. Just because you can't feel _my _Force signature does not mean I'm not here."

Disbelief was crawling all over him. He could not agree with her. "I felt the bond snapped-"

"Qui-Gon, you just told me you've been ignoring Obi-Wan for the past few days. That means you've been ignoring the bond too. Tell me, how do you know the pain you felt was from a bond you barely acknowledged?"

It was like a slap to the face. Qui-Gon's blue eyes glazed over at this information, his eyebrows high in shock. What if…? Was it really possible…?

Noda took this as her cue to leave. She made an effort to touch Qui-Gon's shoulder to drive her point home. As soon as her hand was gone, it was as if she was never there.

Qui-Gon gripped Obi-Wan's hand in his own, mulling this new information over. Was it really possible? On the day he thought Obi-Wan was having a nightmare, he shoved the mental shields up, never bothering to really take them down. And when he did, he only did it to chastise the boy and then threw them back up again. But that pain…if not from a shattered bond, then from what?

In all honesty, Qui-Gon had no idea what Obi-Wan had done. At first look, it seems he Force healed the Queen, but not even Master Yoda has the power to stop such an injury. So how…?

Frustrated, Qui-Gon pushed himself away from the bed. That vision, that nightmare was haunting him. Probably more so him than it did Obi-Wan. It was one thing for a child to lose a parent but for a parent to lose a child…!

Qui-Gon knew right then and there he could not bear it. If Obi-Wan died, he would die too. He will never take on another Padawan, have hope in the Force. It will kill him.

He placed the river stone into Obi-Wan's palm. Taking the small closed fist into his own, Qui-Gon pressed the boy's knuckles against his forehead. He prayed.

"Obi-Wan…" He corrected himself. "_Padawan… _This is not how it ends. Not on this planet, not in this room, not with you hooked up to machines just to keep you alive. Do you hear me? There is still so much that needs to be done, so much that needs to be experienced. And I want to be there to see it happen. The day I created your braid, I made a promise to turn you into a Jedi Knight, but first, you have to wake up. Wake up Obi-Wan. Wake up."

There was no response.

Qui-Gon exhaled harshly, unsure of what to do, what to say. What did he expect? That saying a few fancy words was going to bring him back?

He reached out with the Force, touching Obi-Wan's mind. And like he expected, there was nothing. No light, no warmth.

He thought back to Noda's words. But Qui-Gon had no shields between him and Obi-Wan. He took them all down the moment the boy collapsed.

Didn't he?

He began checking the area of his mind where the bond usually took place. He searched thoroughly. Was there something he missed, something he overlooked…?

There.

Qui-Gon almost laughed. It was the natural shielding he still held. These mental shields were always in place so he and Obi-Wan wouldn't share _every _thought that flittered across their minds. Such shields were designed so neither persons would drive themselves crazy with simple thoughts as, 'I'm hungry' or 'Something smells bad.'

It took him a few seconds to pull down such defenses. And once he was done, he reached into Obi-Wan's mind again and found

Nothing. Not a damn thing.

"Wait…" What was that?

There was something. It wasn't obvious. It was not a light, more like a reflection one would get when placing black against black. White against white. Qui-Gon went for it.

He touched it and almost immediately an electric shock went through him. He retreated for a moment and when the initial flinch was over, he dove for it again. He grasped onto it, refusing to let go this time. The Force began to vibrate in his mind, becoming more erratic by the second.

_Obi-Wan, wake up._

It began to hurt. This was the boy's natural defenses, throwing a foreign entity out.

_Wake up Obi-Wan._

It was becoming rather violent. Colors and shapes flashed through his mind, exploding in a dazzling sense of wonder.

_PADAWAN!_

_HealwayswantedtobeaJediKnightbutheneedsamasterMasterQui-GonhisMasterrefusedhimbelievedhimtoturnlikehisoldPadawanhewasdevestatedall__hewantedwastobeaccepetedBandomeerXanatosQui-GoncalledhimPadawaninthemineshisheartflutteredalmostdidnotbelieveittobetrueitwasallheeverwantedgavehimariverstoneforhisbirthdaynotallowedpossessionsbutkeptthisclosetohisheartkeepitsafeitwasjustarockbuttohimitwastheworld._

Light poured over him and Qui-Gon gasped in response. Obi-Wan's eyes flung open, his mouth wide in a silent yell. He swallowed two gulps of air before muttering a weak, "…M-master…?"

"Yes Padawan," Qui-Gon almost sobbed. He ran a hand over the boy's hair, his fingers coming to a stop at the braid. "It's me. It's me."

()

A/N: Last chapter is next. This was a really hard one to write just because it was shifting from being Star Wars to being some political stuff I didn't want to get into. Hope ya'll enjoyed! R/R!


	8. Chapter 8

It felt like he could breathe again. Breathe because his Padawan can.

With a grunt, the boy tried to take off the little apparatus that covered his mouth and nose. Qui-Gon did it for him, using the movement to also touch the boy's cheek. It was warm.

"The Queen," Obi-Wan muttered. "Is she-?"

"She's fine. You saved her life."

"And the baby?"

"Alive and well," Qui-Gon smiled then. "They named it after you."

It was Obi-Wan's turn to smile and the Jedi Master realized how much he missed it. "Really?" He chuckled weakly. "What a great name for a boy."

"It's a girl."

"What a horrible name for a girl."

A snort of laughter rose from Qui-Gon's throat and he did a poor job of keeping it down. He sobered. "Obi-Wan… why didn't you tell me about the vision? Why?"

Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably in the bed. "I'm not going to be angry," Qui-Gon assured him.

"It's not that," Obi-Wan began slowly. "It's… I wanted to tell you in the beginning but… something Master Windu said in the vision stopped me."

Qui-Gon immediately brought up the conversation in his head, quickly filtering through the words, trying to pinpoint a significant word or phrase.

"_Obi-Wan died as a Jedi," _Obi-Wan rasped to him. "That meant I died doing something…right. I saved somebody or stopped something from happening. And if I stopped the vision from happening, that meant the person I saved dies," Obi-Wan shook his head. "I couldn't let that happen."

"Padawan," Qui-Gon sat on the bed, refusing to let his hand stray from the boy's face. "There is no guarantee what you saw in the vision would come true. The present is constantly changing- the vision you had was one of _many _possible futures. You should have told me."

Qui-Gon didn't like the look in the boy's eyes as his words seem to take hold. Nothing in his tone was harsh and unforgiving but he could feel the guilt his words installed drift through the bond. "Sorry Master."

Qui-Gon shook his head in disbelief. "Is that…" He swallowed a breath. "Is that why you've been allowing me to treat you so harshly for the past few days? Because of the vision?"

Confusion ran across Obi-Wan's face. Qui-Gon continued. "I have not been the best of Masters to you. My feelings towards Xanatos blinded me and as a result, I took my anger and frustration out on you. But what upsets me the most Obi-Wan, is that I practically assaulted you and not once did you protest or ask why. Why did you allow me to treat you like that?"

It was Qui-Gon's hand that stopped Obi-Wan from turning his head away from him. The boy licked his dry lips and said, "Because I deserved it. I can't expect my enemy to be honorable in a fight or… a lawyer to keep his word. You were right in your reprimands."

Qui-Gon mentally swore. Gods, what dribble has he been filling his Padawan's brain with? "It is my job as your Master to teach you," He said, keeping his eyes directly on the boy's. "To guide you and to protect you. I should never raise my hand to you, my voice to you. It's true that I will strike you while we are dueling but that does not mean I should cause great physical pain. You shouldn't have fallen asleep during the signings but I should have noticed how tried you have been and excused you. And when you are having a nightmare," He came close and as gently as he could stated, "I should be the one to keep them away. You should never carry such a burden Obi-Wan. And as long as I am your Master, I will protect you to the best of my abilities. Do you understand?"

The boy's blue eyes were wide and a little fearful. But Qui-Gon needed to put that point across. If Obi-Wan thought his cruel treatments were considered normal… gods, he doesn't know how the consequences could play out. The idea scared him.

Qui-Gon allowed Obi-Wan to digest that. And even if the boy didn't believe him, then Qui-Gon was more than willing to show him.

They had time.

"There is something I do need to know," Qui-Gon said after a few minutes of silence. "Exactly what did you do to the Queen? You Forced healed her, but that sort of wound should have been beyond your help."

Obi-Wan smiled knowingly then. "I wasn't sure what I suppose to do until that very moment… I helped because Obi-Wan yelled for help."

Qui-Gon blinked in confusion. Then it hit him. "You mean…the princess?"

"She's very strong in the Force, Master. She knew something was wrong with her mother and she cried out to me. It took a little more effort on my part but together, we were able to stop the bleeding."

Now it was Qui-Gon's turn to be wide eyed. "That's…incredible. I have never heard such a thing."

"I wonder if the Queen will allow the Temple to train her."

Qui-Gon chuckled. "I don't think so. The Queen is quite possessive with her children and you know our code prohibits attachments. I think the best we can do is allow a tutor to teach the Princess a few basic techniques."

Obi-Wan groaned into his pillow. "Yes, I forgot about the Queen's… motherly instincts. Did you know while I was meditating, one of the Princes grabbed me, threw me over his shoulder and brought me to the royal chambers?"

Qui-Gon smirked. "Well, I know somehow you ended up in the children's bed, but I hadn't heard the whole story."

"At first I protested," He breathed. "Telling his highness that you were expecting me to meditate. He wouldn't hear of it. He threw me on the bed with the younger ones and all of them practically attacked me. Pulling on my braid, asking a million questions about the Jedi…" A blush exploded on his cheeks. "Then the Queen came in and I when I tried to tell her I had to go back, she ignored me and started to read a bedtime story. By then I couldn't leave because one of the princes had my braid in a death grip and one of princess' hugged me as if I were a stuffed animal."

Qui-Gon was trying very hard not to giggle. "So you thought the next best thing was to give up and sleep?"

Obi-Wan cast his eyes down. "I'm sorry-"

"Don't be. One lesson you must learn as a Jedi is to know when to give up. Sometimes it's best to walk away and wait for another opportunity to rise. Besides, you needed the sleep."

"The contracts!" Obi-Wan suddenly gasped. "Did-"

"All finished thanks to Master Noda and her Padawan. There'll be no backlash because of what happened. Kulain Win is a very reasonable person."

"Master Noda? She…she was your first Padawan, wasn't she?"

Qui-Gon grinned widely, thankful for a second chance. "Do you wish to meet her?"

()

Although Obi-Wan insisted that he was fine, Qui-Gon (And Queen Humu alike) subjected him for a week's worth of bed rest. Qui-Gon took the time to reestablish the bond that he so regrettably ignored. Queen Humu decided the best course of recovery was to feed Obi-Wan within an inch of his life. Noda showed him a few tricks to help hide his Force signature and Obi-Wan became fast friends with her Padawan, Egrin- mostly because they relied on each other to hide from Queen Humu's overzealous children.

Even though much had been resolved, Qui-Gon knew the road ahead was rocky and uncertain. Unlike Noda and Xanatos, Obi-Wan for some strange reason had very little self-esteem. Qui-Gon wasn't sure if it was because Obi-Wan had been rejected as a Padawan once before or if there was another factor involved. The boy expected way too much of himself. And Qui-Gon mused, perhaps, that was a little of his fault.

Queen Humu stood by her husband Pua'a, both of them smiling like the proud parents they were. In her arms Princess Obi-Wan stared around silently, her wide brown eyes sparking in the light. Behind them were all sixteen heirs, dressed in their royal finery. Some were even sporting braids, courtesy of Qui-Gon Jinn.

Standing in front of a readied ship, were all four Jedi. Although they did not look as impressive compared to the royals in terms of dress, the looks on their faces were the same: at peace.

"You have my deepest gratitude," King Pua'a bowed his head to them. "You all have a permanent home here on Noven."

The Jedi bowed back. "It's been a pleasure to serve," Qui-Gon said, squeezing Obi-Wan's shoulder. "And you have my gratitude for all you have done for me and my Padawan."

"We have one last gift," King Pua'a brought out a little brown wrapped package and gave it to Qui-Gon. "I hope it'll help to remember this day always."

Obi-Wan threw a suspicious look at Qui-Gon, who suddenly smirked as if he already knew what the gift was. "Thank you, your highness."

They bowed one last time, turned and walked up the ramp into the ship. As the hull door slowly closed behind them, Obi-Wan could hear the Princess beginning to wail.

The ship's engines vibrated softly and soon they were airborne. A quick jolt of energy and they shot off into space, leaving the small planet Noven far behind. Qui-Gon sat quietly in one of the pilot chairs, ripping off the brown paper from the present King Pua'a gave him.

From where Obi-Wan stood, he could only see the back of it. It looked rather like a large data disk. But the way Qui-Gon so gleefully smirked at it brought Obi-Wan to believe that it was not a data disk.

Noda leaned over the chair, her tentacles pooling over Qui-Gon's shoulders as she stared. "Master, why don't we have any photos like this?" She said rather insulted.

"It's a photo?" Obi-Wan asked.

Egrin joined to look. He snorted and said, "Master, I'm not sure you want such a photo. It's a bit embarrassing."

"Embarassing?" Obi-Wan came to his Master's side. Qui-Gon cheerfully tilted the frame towards him, allowing him a better look. Obi-Wan's face paled.

Qui-Gon had almost forgotten about the photograph he took of Obi-Wan sleeping with the other children. Although there were quite a number of bodies in the bed, limbs thrown about, stuffed animals pressed against chests, Obi-Wan was easily distinguishable and he was the very first thing to zoom on when looking at it.

"I think I'll be hanging this one up in our kitchen," Qui-Gon stated happily, holding the photo high.

"Master, you wouldn't," Obi-Wan tried to grab the frame out of his hands.

Qui-Gon easily dodged him. "I would."

"That's…cruel! You said you wouldn't be!"

"My dear, dear Padawan… This isn't cruel. Cruel would be duplicating this photo and then handing them out to all your friends."

"You've gone to the Darkside, haven't you?"

"Oh no, going to the Darkside would be duplicating this photo, handing them out to your friends _and _to all the Council members. And trust me, Master Yoda would love to have this."

It wasn't the start of their relationship, but it certainly wasn't the end. And as the small grey space ship made its preparation to jump into hyperspace, inside four Jedi laughed and smiled in their content, living in the moment.

All was well.

**The End.**

()

A/N: It's over! Yay! I wanna thank all of you guys for being such cool people and agreeing with me that mean-abusing- Qui-Gon is a good read. Wait, would that make us sick, deprived people? Ha! Anyhoo, I am thinking of making a sequel to this, but I am still going over plot bunnies in my head so there is a fifty-fifty chance I may/may not make one.

(This is just rambling now, no need to read further unless you want to know what's in my head) In the beginning, the original dream Obi-Wan had was of Qui-Gon dying. But so many people knew it WAS of Qui-Gon's death, I felt so unoriginal. So I spent three days going over options over in my head. What kind of dream can I make so I wouldn't have to dramatically change the chapters I already wrote, but still be shocking and unexpected? And voila!

Noda was never expected to make an appearance except in the dream. But I knew Qui-Gon wouldn't leave Obi-Wan's side just to sign a bunch of contracts and thought the Council might send another Master. Who though? I wasn't in the mood to make another OC…and Voila! Noda and her Padawan. Whose name I only just came up with in this chapter. I wonder if Egrin feels so pissed that my attempts on his name is so half-assed…

Originally there were supposed to be a few chapters from Obi-Wan's POV. But after doing them in Qui-Gon's, I just kept trekking down that road. I am pleased with the results.

One idea was Qui-Gon kept hurting Obi-Wan so badly in saber practices, that there had to be intervention from Mace. Wait, that's not a bad idea. Hmmm…

Anyhoo, thank you for reading my little fic. Loves you loads! R/R peeps!


End file.
